High-speed chase ends in crash near 16th Street Mall

September 28th, 2009  |  Published in The Denver Post

DENVER — A high-speed chase through downtown Denver early Sunday morning ended when the driver of the fleeing vehicle wrapped it around a traffic signal pole, sending the four people in the car to the hospital, authorities say.

A Denver police officer saw the four people get into an altercation with another individual on Lawrence Street downtown.

One of the four allegedly drew a weapon, possibly a handgun, before the group got into the car, said Lt. Scott M. Kaye, commander of the Denver Police Department’s traffic investigations unit.

“An armed person who displays a weapon at other people meets the criteria for pursuit,” Kaye said, speaking from the scene.

Read the full story on The Denver Post Web site

Car smashes into pole at 14th and Pearl

July 15th, 2009  |  Published in The Denver Post

A woman's blue Mitsubishi Eclipse sits in the middle of 14th Avenue and Pearl Street after hitting a signal pole on Wednesday, July 15, 2009. (Daniel Petty, The Denver Post)

A woman's blue Mitsubishi Eclipse sits in the middle of 14th Avenue and Pearl Street after hitting a signal pole on Wednesday, July 15, 2009. (Daniel Petty, The Denver Post)

DENVER — A woman is in serious but stable condition tonight after her car careened into a curb near 14th Avenue and Pearl Street, then smashed into a traffic signal pole and spun into oncoming traffic.

Officers and witnesses offered conflicting reports about whether another car was involved in triggering the crash.

Several witnesses said that the woman’s car, a sky blue Mitsubishi Eclipse, was in the far left lane at about 7:45 p.m. when a second car clipped her, sending her into a storm drain on the curb, which popped at least one of her tires.

She tried swerving to regain control, but slammed into the pole, and the second car apparently drove away, according to these witnesses.

However, Sgt. Brian J. Conover of the Denver Police Department’s traffic investigations bureau said none of the witnesses that officers had interviewed said another vehicle was involved.

“All the damage seems to be from what she did to it,” he said. “We don’t see what looks like any other car touching it or pushing it in any way.”

Read the full story on The Denver Post Web site

Denver fireworks violations nearly halved

July 9th, 2009  |  Published in The Denver Post

DENVER — Denver’s police and fire departments reported that fireworks citations and seizures dropped by nearly half this Fourth of July weekend, compared with last year.

Police issued 34 citations and made 123 fireworks confiscations this year, said Sonny Jackson, spokesman for the Denver Police Department. That’s down from the 56 citations and 225 seizures in 2008.

Even during the days leading up to the holiday — not just on the Fourth — Jackson said complaints and reports were down by about half.

Authorities couldn’t peg the declines on a specific initiative or reason, but Jackson credited his agency’s continued fireworks-safety education and enforcement for playing a part, even though this year’s campaign was less extensive than in years past.

Read the full story on The Denver Post’s Web site